The invention relates to a fastening arrangement for a vehicle wheel comprising an interior wheel shell and an exterior wheel shell, and in particular, to a vehicle wheel made of a light metal alloy and having a plurality of wheel bolts arranged concentrically with respect to a wheel hub.
From German Patent Document DE 196 01 778 A1, a vehicle wheel is known which consists of two shells. These shells comprise an interior wheel shell and an exterior wheel shell, the interior wheel shell forming a rim and the exterior wheel shell forming a rim spider of the wheel. The two wheel parts are connected with one another by welding. In addition, from German Patent Document DE-U 72 00 847, a two-shell vehicle wheel is known, in the case of which the wheel parts are connected with one another in the hub area by way of bush-type fastening elements into which wheel bolts are inserted.
It is an object of the invention to provide a simple mechanical connection in the wheel hub area for a two-shell vehicle wheel having hollow spokes.
This and other objects have been achieved according to the present invention by providing a fastening arrangement for a motor vehicle wheel comprising: an interior wheel shell; an exterior wheel shell; a plurality of wheel bolts to be arranged concentrically with respect to a wheel hub; and a plurality of bushes to be pressed and held in bores of the shells, said interior and exterior wheel shells being connectable with one another via said wheel bolts inserted in said bushes.
This and other objects have been achieved according to the present invention by providing a wheel for a vehicle, comprising: a plurality of wheel bolts for connecting said wheel to said vehicle; a plurality of bushes, each of said bushes defining an opening for receiving one of said wheel bolts; an interior wheel shell defining a plurality of openings for receiving said bushes; an exterior wheel shell defining a plurality of openings corresponding to the openings in said interior wheel shell for receiving said bushes, said interior and exterior wheel shells defining a plurality of hollow spokes and a wheel hub.
The principal advantages achieved according to the invention are that, due to the simple mechanical connection in the area of the wheel hub via bushes and wheel bolts, a sealing-off as well as a fastening take place. The bushes are inserted into the bores of the wheel shells by a press fit. This is required so that no water or moisture can penetrate into the hollow spaces between the shells. For this purpose, the bush may be embedded in a sealing mass, such as silicone.
The bushes are fitted into an indentation of the exterior wheel shell and are supported on the exterior wheel shell via a collar. As a result, a homogeneous introduction of a prestressing force is achieved.
The bush part adjoining the collar projects into bores of the two shells and, by way of its free end, may close off flush with the interior surface of the interior wheel shell or may end at a distance from it.
When a magnesium alloy is used for the wheel, for avoiding a contact corrosion between the interior wheel shell and the brake disk chamber made of steel, an intermediate disk made of an aluminum alloy will be required. This disk may be centered and fastened via the bushes pressed into the disk. As an alternative, the disk may be constructed to reach around the brake disk chamber and be centered and fastened on it by a form-locking or force-locking connection. With respect to the interior wheel shell, the disk is sealed off, for example, by silicone.
According to another preferred embodiment, the disk can be replaced by a chamber element which reaches around the brake disk chamber and is connected with it, for example, by a press fit. As a result of this chamber element, contact corrosion is avoided, the pressing-in depth can be corrected, and simultaneously the corrosion-endangered surface of the brake disk chamber is covered.
Instead of a pressed-in bush with a plane supporting surface with respect to the head of the wheel bolt, a hemispherical surface may also be provided in the head of the bush, in which a correspondingly shaped disk is supported.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.